Solar in Brandon in 2026: TECO, 1:1 net metering and HOAs

Brandon has the same rules as Tampa because it has the same utility: TECO. That means 1:1 net metering, none of the $30 minimum bill that FPL and Duke charge, and solar subscription available. What changes compared with Tampa is the paperwork: Brandon is not a city, so the permit comes from Hillsborough County. Here is what you need to know.

Which utility serves Brandon, and is net metering 1:1?

Tampa Electric (TECO) serves Hillsborough County and parts of Pasco, Pinellas and Polk, with about 870,000 customers. Brandon, in eastern Hillsborough, is TECO; confirm it with the logo on your bill.

In TECO’s words, the surplus you generate goes to the grid and “you will receive a credit based on your current retail energy rate.” Your bill shows kWh delivered and received, and they are netted. The monthly surplus rolls to the next month, and at the end of the calendar year it is paid at the COG-1 rate (PSC Rule 25-6.065), which is generation cost, not full retail.

What you always pay is the daily service charge plus taxes and franchise fee: there is no $30 minimum bill as with FPL or Duke. Full detail in TECO: rates and net metering and in net metering in Florida.

Heads up: if you are on Energy Planner today (TECO’s time-of-use rate), TECO says net metering does not work with that program and you will have to switch to the standard residential rate. Your real savings are calculated against the standard rate, not against what you pay today.

How much does a solar system cost in Brandon in 2026?

There is no public, verifiable price per watt for Brandon alone, and we will not invent one. The cash-purchase reference is ~$2.71 per watt before incentives, Florida quote reference (Oct. 2026). Separately, the U.S. national median for loan-financed systems was $4.50/W in 2025, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The totals are our own arithmetic: ~$2.71/W multiplied by the size (5,000 W × $2.71 = $13,550; 10,000 W × $2.71 = $27,100). How the price is built: solar panel cost in Florida 2026. The 30% federal credit for purchases (25D) ended for systems placed in service after 12/31/2025; only 48E remains for leases/PPAs through the end of 2027, captured by the third party. Confirm with your tax preparer.

How many sun hours does Brandon get?

Brandon receives 5.3 peak sun hours per day on a fixed-tilt panel, per TurbineGenerator. A peak sun hour is one equivalent hour of full irradiance. A 10 kW system yields on the order of 53 kWh on an average day before losses. Summer afternoon storms lower output from June to September; the design uses monthly data.

What is the typical bill in Brandon?

There is no public, verifiable average bill for Brandon alone. As a reference, the average Florida household used 1,104 kWh a month and paid $156.09 in 2024, according to EIA, and the state’s average residential price was 15.03¢/kWh in July 2026.

At TECO, per its January 2026 rate sheet, energy, fuel, the storm protection charge, the clean energy transition mechanism and the storm surcharge added up to about 15.9¢ per kWh up to 1,000 kWh, before taxes (our arithmetic). The 1.995¢ surcharge ended in August 2026, so from September to December it is about 13.9¢. If your proposal was built with the January rate, today’s real savings are somewhat lower. How to read each line: how to read your TECO bill.

Brandon by the numbers

According to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS 2020-2024), Brandon has about 119,767 residents; 30.9% are Hispanic or Latino (10.8% of Puerto Rican origin) and 22.5% of those over 5 speak Spanish at home. Only 56.2% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners: almost half of households rent, and in a rented home the solar decision belongs to the owner, not the tenant.

Permit, roof and hurricanes in Brandon

Brandon is a census-designated place, not a city, so the permit comes from Hillsborough County. Per the county’s residential photovoltaic checklist:

• A roof-mounted system needs an electrical permit (ground-mounted, a residential miscellaneous permit).
• Signed and sealed plans showing compliance with Florida Building Code wind and roof loads, access pathways and setbacks, and an engineer certifying the structure can carry the added load.
• An electrical diagram signed by a Florida professional (or FSEC certification) and a recorded Notice of Commencement before the first inspection.
• A rough-in inspection, which can be virtual.

Hillsborough is not in the HVHZ, but the wind calculation is mandatory. According to the National Hurricane Center, Milton made landfall on Siesta Key in October 2024 and its rains caused widespread flooding in the Tampa Bay area, with record crests on the Hillsborough River. If your roof was patched after 2024 or has less than 5 years of life left, roof first. More in solar and hurricanes in Florida.

What taxes do you save with solar in Brandon?

Florida Statute 193.624 says that, on residential property, the value panels add is not considered in the property tax assessment. And Statute 212.08(7)(hh) exempts solar energy systems and their components from sales tax. The full picture in Florida solar incentives 2026.

HOAs in Brandon

If your Brandon subdivision has an HOA, Florida Statute 163.04 prevents it from prohibiting solar collectors; the association can require architectural approval and set placement as long as it does not reduce output.

Is solar subscription available in Brandon?

Yes. Our subscription partner operates in the Tampa area with TECO: fixed monthly payment for 3 or 5 years, no credit, debt or lien, no upfront cost and 30% savings guaranteed by contract on the total bill. Disqualifiers: tile or metal roof, roof with less than 4 years of life, mobile homes, heavy shade, bill under $100, less than 12 months in the home, needing a battery or an electrical panel upgrade. Details in solar subscription: how it works. With a high bill and a good roof, buying usually saves more over the long run; subscription wins when you want no debt and no upfront investment.

When solar does NOT make sense in Brandon

• You rent the home: the decision and the contract belong to the owner.
• You are on Energy Planner and already save with nighttime usage.
• Bill under $100.
• Roof damaged by the 2024 storms and not replaced.
• Heavy oak shade over the south face.

What to check before deciding

• That the proposal uses TECO’s September 2026 rate (no storm surcharge).
• Your 12 bills and whether you are on the standard rate or Energy Planner.
• That the installer pulls the Hillsborough County permit with sealed plans.
• Roof condition after 2024.
• Compare subscription against purchase with the same 12 months.